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Women's Curling at the 2026 Olympics: Favorites & Dark Horses

  • Writer: Carter
    Carter
  • 3 hours ago
  • 3 min read

From February 12th to 22nd, the final set of curling medals will be decided at the Cortina Olympic Stadium. The 2026 tournament is headlined by a clash of dynasties. While the field is deep, two teams have separated themselves from the pack, setting up a potential Gold Medal match for the ages.


⚔️ The Main Event: Canada vs. Switzerland


For the last four years, women's curling has been a tug-of-war between two titans.


1. The Super Team: Canada (Team Homan)


  • Skip: Rachel Homan

  • The Resume: 2024 & 2025 World Champions.

  • The Story: After missing the podium in 2018, Rachel Homan rebuilt her team into a juggernaut. They have dominated the tour for two years straight.

  • Why they are favorites: They are offensively aggressive. Homan is known for calling high-risk, high-reward shots that other skips wouldn't dare attempt. If she is "on," no one can beat them.


2. The Machine: Switzerland (Team Tirinzoni)


  • Skip: Silvana Tirinzoni (throws Third stones) / Fourth: Alina Pätz

  • The Resume: 4x consecutive World Champions (2019–2023).

  • The Story: They are the most consistent team in history, yet they left the 2022 Olympics without a medal. They are on a mission to prove that their World Championship dynasty can translate to Olympic Gold.

  • The Weapon: Alina Pätz. She is widely considered the best "last rock thrower" in the women's game. When the pressure is highest, she rarely misses.


🇺🇸 The American "Survivors": Team Peterson


  • The Team: Tabitha Peterson (Skip), Cory Thiesse, Tara Peterson, Taylor Anderson-Heide.

  • The Story: Team USA took the hard road to Cortina. After winning the US Trials, they had to survive the "Last Chance" Qualifier (OQE) in December 2025, narrowly defeating Norway to book the final spot in the Olympics.

  • The X-Factor: Cory Thiesse. She is pulling "double duty," having already competed in the Mixed Doubles tournament earlier in the Games. Will she be warmed up and ready, or exhausted?


🇮🇹 The Dark Horses


1. The Home Favorites: Italy (Team Constantini)


  • Skip: Stefania Constantini

  • The Vibe: Constantini is the face of Italian curling. After winning Mixed Doubles Gold in 2022, she has transitioned to skipping the women's team. With the Cortina crowd behind them, they are a dangerous momentum team.


2. The Veteran: Sweden (Team Hasselborg)


  • Skip: Anna Hasselborg

  • The Vibe: The 2018 Olympic Champions are still here. They play a heavy hitting game similar to the men's teams. They have struggled with consistency recently, but they know how to win on Olympic ice.


📅 The Schedule: Key Matches

  • Feb 12: Canada vs. Switzerland. (A potential Gold Medal preview on Day 1).

  • Feb 15: USA vs. Italy. (A crucial match for playoff positioning).

  • Feb 22: The Gold Medal Game. (The final event of the curling program).


🏁 Final Thoughts: The Grand Finale


The Women’s Gold Medal game on February 22nd is not just the end of the tournament; it is the curtain call for the entire 2026 Winter Olympics. As one of the very last events before the Closing Ceremony, the eyes of the world will be fixed on the sheet in Cortina.


The pressure in the Women's final is unlike anything else. With the history of Homan’s redemption and Tirinzoni’s dominance on the line, we are likely looking at a game that will be decided by the final stone of the final end.


Complete Your Olympic Curling Coverage Now that you are prepped for the Women's tournament, make sure you know the full story of the Games.

 
 
 

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